Jonesboro Public Schools- Jonesboro, AR

Jonesboro Public Schools is working to make sure teachers have the right tools to deal with an active shooter. Teachers at the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School went through the ALICE training Friday. JPS Safety and Security Director Steve Whitehouse taught the class and said lessons like this are vital. The first part of the course explains why active shooter or active killer training is important and what can happen if you are not prepared. The next part of the lesson allows the teachers to actually practice the skills they learned. Whitehouse said the likelihood of an active shooter coming on to campus is one in two million, but it does happen and teachers should be prepared. “It is something they don’t want to think about, but once they have gone through the course they feel more empowered that they know how to protect themselves,” Whitehouse said. Whitehouse told the teachers there are always several options on how to react during these situations like evacuation, lockdown or even swarming the victim. Read more